Tamper evident food packages

ABSTRACT

A food container is provided with a tub and lid, the lid having a locking edge configured to snap-fit into a raised rim of said tub. The lid also has a foldable security tab that has a locking lug for connecting with a corresponding locking indent on the lid. The foldable security tab is perforated such that when the perforation is broken a lift handle portion of the security tag remains connected to the locking edge to allow the lid to be removed from the tub, and a portion of the security tab with the locking lug remains attached to the lid, connected in the locking indent.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/529,179, filed on Jul. 6, 2017 the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to tamper evident food packaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to tamper evident food packaging with a security tab that is not removed.

Description of Related Art

Prior art plastic tamper evident packaging, such as food packaging, use several different features to show that a sealed package has been tampered with. Some sealed packages have a shrink band placed over the package to seal the tub and the lid. Other sealed food packages have a contiguous locking tab/strip between the tub and lid that is “un-zipped” in order to open the two halves. Yet another prior art design for sealed plastic food packaging is to place a large paper label over the closed tub and lid where the paper label wraps around the closed edges of the package to keep the lid and tub from opening and to identify if it has ever been opened.

These methods have inherent drawbacks. Shrink wrapping is an additional step that adds cost and more waste to the environment. The zipper type package, once opened, leaves two exposed edges that have teeth similar to a saw blade that can be a hazard, particularly with food items, and the tab that is un-zipped is again environmental waste. Lastly, the packages that use large labels that wrap around the lid and tub add a significant amount to the overall cost and otherwise decreases the recyclability of the package.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

The present arrangement provides a food package where the lid includes a perforated closure tab. The tab is designed to fold back onto the center of the lid in the advertisement area and affixes itself using a male/female button to snap together. This segment of the tab is substantially permanently affixed to the lid by being covered with the product label. When in the closed state the lid and tub are mated and the closure tab is snapped in place and the advertisement/label is placed over the closed tab. To open, the perforated tab is broken providing a lift tab to release the lid from the edge of the tub with the other part of the tab remaining attached to the lid under the label.

To this end a food container has a tub and lid, the lid having a locking edge configured to snap-fit into a raised rim of said tub. The lid also has a foldable security tab that has a locking lug for connecting with a corresponding locking indent on the lid. The foldable security tab is perforated such that when the perforation is broken a lift handle portion of the security tag remains connected to the locking edge to allow the lid to be removed from the tub, and a portion of the security tab with the locking lug remains attached to the lid, connected in the locking indent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1a-1d show a tub without a lid, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 2a-2d show a container lid, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 3a-3d show the tub and lid, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 4a-4c show the container and lid being opened, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 5a-5c show a tub without a lid, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIGS. 6a-6d show a container lid, in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 5a -5 c;

FIGS. 7a-7b show the tub and lid being closed, in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 5a-5c and 6a -6 d; and

FIGS. 8a-8c show the tub and lid being opened, in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 5a-5c and 6a -6 d.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1a -1 d, the present package is a standard style vacuum formed plastic tub 10, such as food storage container tub with ridged walls 12 and a locking rail 14 around the open top circumference. FIGS. 2a-2d show a corresponding lid 20 for fitting onto tub 10. Lid 20 has a circumferential securing edge 22 for attaching lid 20 to raised rail 14. Lid 20 further has a perforated security lift tab 30 as discussed in more detail below. This arrangement securely attaches lid 20 to tub 10, for example by snap-lock, in such a way that lid 20 cannot be removed as raised rail 14 essentially sealing securing edge of 22 in such a manner as to prevent one from being able to extract lid 20 from tub 10. The height of securing edge 22 is lower than raised rail 14 so a user cannot grip lid 20 in any way to remove it from tub 10.

As shown in FIGS. 2a -2 b, a security tab 30 is arranged on securing edge 22 of lid 20. Security tab 20 has a locking lug 32 for mating with a corresponding locking indent 34 on lid 20. Security tab 30 further has a curved perforation 36 with a lift handle 38. As shown in FIGS. 3a-3d , including the blown-up section of FIG. 3d , securing edge 22 of lid 20 is pressed into raised rail 14 of tub 10 to securely lock lid 20 to tub 10.

Once lid 20 is attached to tub 10 in this manner locking lug 32 of tab 30 is folded over and pressed into locking indent 34 in or near the middle of lid 20 as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b . Thereafter a label can be placed overtop (not shown) to prevent unwanted access to security lift tab 30 until the consumer is ready to open. FIG. 3b shows the optional feature of stacking tabs 50 on lid 20 to mate with tapered corrugated sides 12 of a tub 10 so as to allow improved stacking stability for multiple container stacks.

To remove lid 20 from tub 10, as shown in FIGS. 4a -4 c, the user may grab the exposed lift handle 38 of tab 30 and tear perforation 36. A remaining portion of security lift tab remains locked in recess 34 (under the label—removed in the figures for clarity). Lift handle 38 is then free to provide leverage as a gripping tab to lift locking edge 22 from raised rail 14 of tub 10 so that lid 20 can be removed from its snap-lock state.

FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate an alternate tub 110 with locking ring/raised rail 114. This arrangement is illustrated with a round tub 110 to demonstrate the alternately locking tab arrangement but it is understood that either embodiment for the locking tab can be used with both round or rectangular tubs.

FIGS. 6a-6d show the corresponding lid 120, locking edge 122, and security tab 130. In this arrangement security tab 130 is not perforated but simply folds down or opens up a locking lug 132/locking recess 134 as with the prior embodiment. The security feature comes with the cover label 140 which is perforated/peel away as explained in more detail below in FIGS. 7a-7b and 8a -8 c.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7a-7b after lid 120 is inserted into the raised rail 114 of tub 110 and security tab 130 is folded over and snapped, label 140 is placed on the upper surface of lid 120. A perforated peel away portion 142 of label 140 covers over security tab 130. As shown in FIGS. 8a -8 c, when a user intends to remove lid 120 from tub 110, the perforated peel away portion 142 of label 140 is torn and lifted exposing security tab 130. This allows tab 130 to be used to lift lid 120 from tub 110 by providing a grip to remove snap-locked lid 120. The torn perforated segment 142 of label 140 permanently demonstrates that lid 120 has been removed even if lid 120 is reattached to tub 110.

Both embodiments of the present arrangement provide for a closure arrangement that eliminates the separable zipper from the prior art. The interaction between lid 20/120 and tub 10/110, either as two separate pieces or as a one-piece clamshell, lock together by having securing edge 22/122 snap-lock into raised rail 14/114, and are secured with tab 30/130. Tab 30/130 is designed to fold back onto lid 20/120. Once perforated section 36 of tab 30 or perforated section 142 of label 140 has been operated there is now evidence of tampering.

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food container comprising: a tub; and a lid, wherein said lid has a locking edge configured to snap-fit into a raised rim of said tub, wherein said lid further comprises a foldable security tab, said security tab having a locking lug for connecting with a corresponding locking indent on the lid, wherein said foldable security tab is perforated, said foldable security tab configured such that when said perforation is broken a lift handle portion of said security tag remains connected to said locking edge to allow said lid to be removed from said tub, and a portion of the security tab with said locking lug remains attached to said lid, connected in said locking indent.
 2. The food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tub is either round or rectangular.
 3. The food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lid includes one or more stacking tabs configured to mate with a tub of a subsequent food container stacked thereon.
 4. The food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion of the security tab with said locking lug that remains attached to said lid, connected in said locking indent, is retained under a label affixed to said lid.
 5. A food container comprising: a tub; and a lid; and a label, wherein said lid has a locking edge configured to snap-fit into a raised rim of said tub, wherein said lid further comprises a foldable security tab, said security tab having a locking lug for connecting with a corresponding locking indent on the lid, and wherein said label is affixed to the top of said lid, over said folded security tab, said label having a perforated region, wherein said perforated region of said label is configured such that, when broken, it can be lifted to expose said folded security tab to provide a handle to remove said lid from said tub. 